Yarn and method for its production



March 12,` 1935.

R. N. "WALLACH Filed April 15, 1933 im q.' 5'.

.Bici-.5'.-

Y Patented Mar. 12, 1935 YARN AND METHOD FOR ITS PRODUCTION Roger N. Wallach, Briarclii Manor, N. Y., as-

signor to Sylvania Industrial Corporation, glnla Fredericksburg, Va., a corporation of Vir Application April 15, 1933, Serial No. 666,261

' 2o claims.

The invention relates to an article of manufacture made of non-brous material and to a process of making the same.' More particularly, it relates to a new and distinctive yarn, thread or strand adapted to be woven, braided or otherwise utilized in the textile and cordage arts, and

includes correlated improvements and discoveries whereby such yarns, etc. may be produced, and the properties thereof enhanced.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a thread, yarn or strand produced from a flat thin strip of a non-fibrous material and being a substantially cylindrical compact mass ,which possesses the characteristics of exibility and strength that adapt it for use in the textile and cordage arts.

, Another object of the invention is to provide a thread, yarn or strand of non-fibrous cellulosic material, as regenerated cellulose, that is compact and has a high gloss and permanency of cross-sectional form in addition to the properties of flexibility and strength required of materials adapted to be woven, braided or otherwise utilized in the textile and cordage arts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a process for the manufacture of a substantially cylindrical compact thread, yarn or strand from a at, thin strip of non-fibrous material in the presence of an agent imparting compactness and permanency of form to the thread, yarn or strand.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a process for the manufacture of yarns, threads or strands from a at thin strip of a non-fibrous material by spinning orotherwise forming in the presence of a tumefying or swelling agent.

A still further object of the invention is-to provide a yarn, thread or strand formed from a 40 waste portion of a non-fibrous material, and a process for their utilization which may be readily economically and emciently carried out on a commercial scale.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises a process having the steps and the relation of the steps, one to another, and an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties and the rela- 50 tion of elements which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

In the practice of the invention, the material used in forming the thread, yarn or strand may be a flexible sheet or web of non-brous material, particularly non-fibrous cellulosic material, such as regenerated cellulose; cellulose ethers, such as methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose; and ce1- lulose esters, such as nitrocellulose, cellulose ace- (Cl. 117-53) n tate, or gelatine, casein, synthetic plastics and the like. A strip of suitable width may be cut from the sheet or web and twisted or otherwise spun about its longitudinal axis or about an axis lying at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the strip to form a compact thread, yarn or strand of substantially cylindrical cross-section. It is especially adapted to utilize waste cuts in the form of at, thin strips, particularly roll ends arising from the manufacture 'of lms ,and sheets.

The preparation of a yarn is effected by a procedure in which a at, thin strip of a noni'lbrous material is first subjected to the action of a tumefying or swelling agent. The tumeed strips are then twisted, or otherwise spun, under tension to form a substantially cylindrical compact yarn which is `thereafter detumefled whereby a greater compactness and permanency of cross-sectional form is imparted thereto. The thread or yarn thus formed may be Woven, braided or otherwise formed into a fabric, or two or morer such threads may be plaited or twisted with each other or with other materials to form a strand for twine, rope, and various- .other cordage materials, as disclosed in my copending U. S. application Serial No. 600,974.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view in elevation, partly in vertical section, 'illustrating certain steps of one modification of my improved process;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a strip of nonbrous material just prior to its entrance into the nipper of the spinning device, showing the change in form which takes place at this point;

Fig. 3 represents a fanciful enlarged view of a yarn formed by twisting a strip of non-brous material about its longitudinal axis;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4 4 of the yarn of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 represents a strand consisting of two threads or yarns of non-fibrous materal twisted together.

Fig. 6 represents a sectional view of the strand of Fig. 5, taken along the line 6-6 thereof.

In Fig. 1 there is represented diagrammatically an apparatus suitable for carrying out one modification of the process of the invention. A flat, thin strip of a non-brous material which may be taken from a roll 1 having a width, for example, of from 1/2 to 3 inches, is passed by supporting rollers 2 and 3 through a tumefying j chamber 4 wherein the strip is subjected to the action of a tumefying agent, preferably in vapor form. The tumefying agent may be admitted lon a rotating frame 1l.

to the chamber 4 by an inlet 5 and any condensate formed may be removed by an outlet 6.- The 'intumescent strip is advanced through a spinning block or nipper 'I provided with means (not shown) for retarding the forward movement of the strip by friction. From the nipper 7 the twisted strip passes into a known spinning apparatus indicated collectively at 8 which is provided with means, such as the capstans 9,

`for pulling the yarn into the apparatuswherein it is wound uponva rotating bobbin 10 mounted The speed of the bobbin is adjusted with respect to fthe rate of delivery of the yarn so as to maintain the yarn under slight tension during winding.

The detumecation of the yarn preferably is carried out while maintaining `the spun material under tension., For example, the yarn is wound more or less tightly upon a bobbin as above illustrated and the tumefying'agent allowed or caused to evaporate. As the tumefying agent evaporates, the yarn has a tendency to shrink to a degree such that its compactness and permanency of cross-sectional form are enhanced. If desired, the evaporation may be eiected by placing the bobbins in a suitable drying chamber maintained at a slightly elevated temperature.

The apparatus or means for applying the tumefying agent to the non-fibrous material may be modiiied, it will be realized, in various ways without transcending the scopeof the invention. When the tumefying agent is employed in the vapor state the chamber therefor may be pro- 'the agent to the non-fibrous material.

vided with heating means for maintaining the temperature of the chamber above the boiling point of the particular agent. Also, the agent may be circulated in a closed system including chamber 4 substantially without condensation.

If desired, the vapor chamber may be replaced by a vat designed `to hold a liquid tumefying agent and which may be equipped with a wick, a freely rotatable roller or a brush for applying- When a vat is used, the amount ,of liquid tumefying agent applied should be lvaried in vaccordance with the nature and/or concentration of the agent. For example, with a dipping vat hold? ing a tumefying agent having a rapid swelling action, the path should be shorter than for tun mefying agents having a relatively slow .action on the material. If desired, a brush or a doctor. blade may be employed in conjunction with the? vat and positioned to remove the excess of the'l tumefying agent from the material before thel strip passes into the spinning apparatus.

The tumefying agent is preferably one which is substantially colorless and of low boiling point; For economy, the agent-should be one which will evaporate at a substantial rate at atmospheric temperatures. although the spun material may be .detumeiied by evaporating the agent at a higherctemperature.

'Ihe tumefying agent is selected with regard to the particular non-brous material to `be employed. For regenerated cellulose, the following are suitable tumefying or swelling agents: water, laliphatic alcohols, such as methyl and ethyl alcohol; ketones, such as acetone; amino compounds such as ethyl amine, triethanolamaliphatic esters of alcohols and acids with a small number of carbon atoms, for example, ethyl acetate. The spinning of strips of cellulose ethers, cellulose oxyethers, gelatine, casein and synthetic plastics may be carried out after the strip has been subjected to the action of their respectively known tumefying agents.

tumefying agent, or added directly to the latter 1 as for example, by using a solution comprising a tumefying agent anda plasticizing agent. With regenerated cellulose one may employ a solution comprising, for example, water and a. The.

hygroscopic substance such as glycerine. glycerine tends to maintain the yarn exibleby reason of the water absorbed thereby. With other non-fibrous materials, one may employ a solution containing a known swelling agent and a known plasticizer therefor. The tumefying agent may be applied in conjunction with an adhesive, a `waterproofing or other coating material, or a dyeing or coloringmaterial when such materials are compatible with the tumefying agent or may be rendered compatible therewith by the use of a mutual solvent. Sheets or films having a coating which is impermeable to the swelling agent at room temperature may ,be used also. This may be accomplished by subjecting the coated material to the action of a tumefyng agent in the .vapor state while maintaining the material at. a temperature at which the coating becomes permeable to the vapor of the agent. Thus, for example, with sheets or lms of regenerated cellulose coated witha moistureproofmg composition, the material is passed through the chamber 4 containing water vapor maintained at a temperature oi.'-60 C. or above. At this temperature the moistureproofcoating becomes permeable tothe water vapor and'the regenerated cellulose swells. material has been twisted or spun into a yarn, and .the material has cooled to room temperature, the coating again becomes resistant to the diffusion of water vaporl and retards evaporation of plasticizer so that the yarn remains flex- 2, ible after the surface has dried. I f desired, the `material may be detumeed at an elevated temperature in order to remove a part of the entrapped swelling agent. This modiilcation of lthe process of the invention permits use to be made ofwaste roll ends'of moistureproofed nonilbrous material which, up to this time, have not been sucessfully made into yarns.

The action of the tumefying agent upon the. non-fibrous material utilized in this invention can best be explained by reference to a particu- )lar material and its respective swelling agent.

r'example, when a strip of regenerated celluolse vis subjected to the action of water, the Welling eect is believed to be the result of a combination of actions.` In the first place, absorption of water occurs, due to the intramicellular attraction of the free hydroxyl groups in the cellulose molecules. Secondly, an intermicellular absorption occurs due to capillary action, the water molecules entering the pores between the individual micelles comprising the nonibrous structure. The absorption of water, therefore, changes both the size of the micelles as well as the pore space between the micelles which are thousands of times more numerous in non-fibrous material than the cells in fibrous material. Accordingly, there is a substantial change in dimensions; the strip of regenerated cellulose becomes from 2% to 5% thicker, from 2% to 15% wider, and from 5% to 10% longer. Spinning under tension may produce an addtional increase of 2% to 5% in length.

When a sheet of tumefied, regenerated cellulose is twisted or spun under tension, the material readily becomes crimped or pleated into a multiplicity of small folds, as shown at 12 in Fig. 2, the contiguous layers of which coalesce and adhere strongly. When detumeflcation occurs or is brought about in the nished thread or yarn, the swelling agent is lost, both from the combination with the molecules and from the pores. During detumefication, the yarn becomes smaller in diameter, while the tendency to shorten, places the twisted overlapping surfaces under a substantial pressure, thus increasing the compactness and permanency of form. For example, when a given length of yarn made from a flat, thin strip of regenerated cellulose by the process of this invention is detumefled free of tension, the yarn has been found to shrink an amount equal to about 5% of its original length. If, however, such a yarn be maintained under tension so that is cannot shorten, the diameter of the yarn decreases and the twist imparted by the spinning operation becomes more compact. If detumeflcaticn is carried out while the yarn is wound upon the bobbin, suitable tension will be obtained to give a compact material having a permanent cross-sectional form.

The action of a tumefying agent upon nonbrous material is materially different from the action of water upon fibrous material. To make twine of paper, it hasbeen proposed to moisten or wet a strip of paper, twist the moistened strip and allow it to dry. The water taken up by the paper is held chiefly by capillary action between the fibres, although a1-small amount of water enters the individual cells by osmosis and this wa'ter enlarges the cellsA transverse of their length and shortens them. The absorption of water, therefore, shortens the strip and thickens it. It is practically impossible to spin the wet brous material under substantial tension as herein described, for the reason that the material has substantially no elasticity in the moistened condition.

Moreover, the changes which occur in the drying of wet paper twine are in direct contrast to those occurring in the drying of nonbrous yarns made according to this invention. In paper twine` the cells lose their absorbed water and flatten, and there is an appreciable increase in the length of the twine during drying. 'Ihe compactness of dried paper twine is therefore less than that of fthe same twine in the moistened condition.

When a strip of non-fibrous material is treated as above described, the novel product has a gloss; a compactness, and a permanency of cross sectional form not possessed by yarns of fibrous or non-fibrous material heretofore known.

The threads or yarns produced according to this inventionmay be twisted together in overlapping relation or one strip may be twisted about its longitudinal axis and a second strip twisted about the rst at an angle tothe longitudinal axis of the rst strip. One or more strips may be spun about la suitable core of fibrous material or metal to produce a twine, cord or rope of novel properties, and a plurality of the yarns woven, plaited, braided or otherwise formed into a fabric with or without the use of textile or, other fibrous yarns. The woven fabric may comprise the novel yarn of this invention in both warp and weft, or it may have a-warp or weft of a textile yarn such as cotton, twine, wool, silk, metal, rayon, linen, flax, jute, ramie and the like, or 'combinations of any of them. 'I'he novel, non-flbrous yarn maybe dyed, delustered or waterproofed before or after being fashioned into a textile or a'cordage product.

Fabrics produced with the novel yarn of this invention have a ldistinctive resilience, high gloss, attractive appearance, exceptional wearing qualities and a resistance to tearing which renders them superior to straw, cane, rattan or fabrics formed wholly of textile yarns. The fabrics of this invention are especially/ adaptable by reason of the above properties for seat, iioor and upholstery coverings, draperies, wall coverings, baskets, ymats, window shades, shoes and wearing apparel or any of the variety of uses to which fabrics, cords or ropes may be put.

Since certain changes may be made in the above article and the improved process of vproducing the same and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

In the appended claims, the expression spinning is not to be limited to that operationvof the cordage art which is described by this term and which in that art includes the feature of drawing as well as twisting'. The term spinning as used herein is intended to cover all operations of twisting or convoluting the` non- .fibrous material, which operations may or may which comprises subjecting a at, thin strip of a non-fibrous material to the action of a tumefying agent, spinning the intumescent material under tension to a compact yarn, and detumefying said yarn.

3. A process of producing a material adapted to be utilized in the textile and cordage arts, which comprises subjecting a iiat, thin strip of a non-brous material to the action of a turnefying agent yin the vapor state, spinning the intumescent material under tension to a compact yarn, and detumefying said yarn.

4. A process of producing a material adapted to be utilized in the textile and cordage arts, which comprises subjecting a at, thin strip of a non-fibrous cellulosic material to the action of a tumefyingl agent, spinning the intumescent to be utilized in the textile and cordage arts,

which comprises subjecting a fiat, thin strip of a non-fibrous cellulosic materialto the actionof a tumefying agent, spinning the intumescent material under tension to a compact yarn, and detumefying said yarn at an elevated temperature while under tension.

6. A process of producing a material adapted to be utilized in the textile and cordage arts, which comprises subjecting a fiat, thin strip of regenerated cellulose to the action of a tumefying agent, and spinning the intumescent material to a compact yarn.

7. A process of producing `a material adapted to be utilized in the textile and cordage arts, which comprises subjecting a at, thin strip of regenerated cellulose to the action of a tumefying agent, spinning thel intumescent material to a compact yarn, and detumefying said yarn.

8. A process of producing a material adapted n to be utilized in the textile and cordage arts,

u tension.

which comprises subjecting a'flat, thin strip of regenerated cellulose to the action of a tumefyingagent including a plasticizer, spinning the intumescent4 material under tension to a compact yarn, and Adetumefying said yarn without removing said plasticizer.

10. A process of producing a material adapted `to be unnzea in the textile and cordage arts,

which comprises subjecting a plurality of flat, thin strips of non-fibrous cellulosic material to the action of a tumefying agent, spinning the intumescent material under tension to a compact yarn, and detumefying said yarn.

11. A process of producing a material adapted to be utilized in the taxtile and cordage arts, which comprisesl subjecting a flat, thin strip of non-flbrous material having an impermeable coating thereon, tothe action of a tumefying agent while maintaining the coated material at a temperature atwhich the coating'is permeable to said agenispinning the-intumescent material to a compact yarn, and detumefying l 12.. A process of producing a material adapted to be utilized 'in the'textile and cordage arts,

` comprising subjecting a'fiat, thin strip of regenerated cellulose having a moistureproof coating thereon to the action of water vapor at an elevated temperature, spinning the intumescent material under tension to a compact yarn, and

j detumefying said yarn at an elevated temperature while under tension.' t 13. A process of producing a material adapt to be utilized in the textile and cordage arts, which comprises subjecting a flat, thin strip of non-fibrous material to the action of a tumefying agent, crimping the intumescentY strip -to produce` therein a multiplicity of folds, spinning the crimped strip under tension to a substantially cylindrical compact yarn, and detumefying said yarn. 1

y 14. A process of. producing a'material adapted to beutilized in thetextile and cordage arts,

which comprises subjecting a at, thin strip of regenerated cellulose to the action of water in the vapor statefcrimping the intumescent strip to produce therein a multiplicity of folds, spinning the crimped strip under tension, to a substantially cylindrical, compact yarn, and detumef'ying said yarn at an elevated temperature while maintaining the yarn under tension.

15. A process of producing a material adapted to be utilized in the textile and cordage arts, which comprises subjecting a hat, thin strip of non-fibrous material having an impermeable coating thereon, to the action of a tumefying agent while maintaining the coated material at a temperature at which the coating is permeable to said agent, crimping the intumescent strip to producertherein a multiplicity of folds, spinning the crimped strip underk tension to a substantially cylindrical, compact yarn, and detumefying said yarn.

16. As an article of manufacture, a flexible yarn adapted to be .utilized in the textile and cordage arts, ycomprising a twisted strip of plas- `ticized non-fibrous, cellulosic material, the strip. having a multiplicity of lengthwise folds and the contiguous surfaces of the material being coalesced so as to form a substantially solid mass having a permanent cross-sectional form.

217. As an article of manufacture, a flexible yarn adapted to vbe utilized inthe textile and cordage arts, comprising a twisted strip of plasticlzed non-fibrous material having a moistureproof coating thereon, the strip having a multiplicity of lengthwise folds and the contiguous surfaces :fof the material being coalesced so as to form asubstantially solid mass having 'a permanent cross-sectional form, the moistureproof coatingvretarding the evaporation of the plasticizer so as to maintain the flexibility of the yarn.

18. As an article of manufacture, a iiexible yarn adapted to be utilized in the textile and cordage arts, comprising a twisted strip of plasticized non-brous. cellulosic material having a moistureproof coating thereon, the strip having a multiplicity -of lengthwise folds and the conl tiguous surfaces of the material being coalesced so as to form a substantially solid mass having a permanent cross-sectional form the moistureproof coating retarding the evaporation of the plasticizer so as to maintain the iiexibility of the yarn.

- 19. -As article of manufacture, a iiexible yarn adapted .to be utilised in the textile` and cordage arts, comprising a twisted strip of rev generated cellulose having a moistureproof coating thereon, the strip having al multiplicity of lengthwise folds and the contiguous surfaces of the material being coalesced so as to form a substantially solidy mass haying a permanent cross-sectional form the moistureproof coating retardingevaporation so `as to maintain the flexibility of the 20. As an 'article of manufacture, a yarn adapted to be utilized in the textile and cordage arts, comprising a., twisted strip of plasticized regenerated cellulose having a moistureproof coatingsthereon, the strip having a multiplicity Rooms N. WALLACE. 

